“After months of consultation, the 44-year-old Royal Ballet is understood to be about to replace Princess Margaret, the inaugural president who died last February, with a mere civilian. In a move that comes as a snub to the Prince of Wales, many people’s favoured candidate, the ballet is expected to appoint Dame Beryl Grey, 75, one of Britain’s premier ballerinas and the company’s vice-chairman.” Is it important for arts organizations to have royal patrons anymore?
Tag: 12.01.02
TV – The Business Against Quality
Why do good TV shows get canceled? “The big lie in television is that network executives are idiots. Most of the time, that’s not true. They’re smart, but their decisions are guided by fear of failure and job loss. Because they’re smart, they usually like quality shows. But because it’s a business, those shows often get canceled.”
MTV Of The Arts?
“Classic Arts Showcase” is the project of one Lloyd Rigler, who decided on his own in the early 90s that there should be more arts on television. He provides round-the-clock feeds of performances by artists “available free, by satellite, to PBS stations, educational and community access channels and other nonprofit broadcasters since 1994; it currently reaches an estimated 65 million homes.” But it’s free to all but Mr. Rigler – he’s plowed $50 million into the project without a hope of ever getting it back.
Needless Waste
Why aren’t more theatre performances recorded? Especially the really good ones, the historic ones? “We have the technological means to record a show without huge financial outlay and with a fair degree of style. It’s called video. We do commit theatre to tape in this country but we do so so sparingly, so shamefacedly, that it ought to be a national scandal.”
One (Bad) Way To Choose Public Art
Art for the walls of Denver’s main performing arts complex is put up on a first-come-first-served basis. Artists sign up and wait until their turn comes up. But the art is democratic, it’s almost nearly always bad, writes Kyle MacMillan. “It is only logical that what is shown on the walls of the Boettcher and Buell should be of the same caliber as the dance, music and theater presented on the stages of the two halls. Anything less demeans the performers who appear there, and it reflects badly on an otherwise vibrant local art scene and the city at large.”
When Good Concert Halls Go Bad
Since Chicago’s Orchestra Hall was retooled in 1997 there have been compaints, lots of them about the sound. Now the orchestra has hired another acoustics expert to see about fixing the sound. Chicago Tribune critics weigh in with their concerns. “In the discussions here, which also include CSO officials, sound consultants and performers, we tried to find out why the sound at Orchestra Hall has gotten worse since the 1997 renovation. Exactly how bad and why was at the core of our conversations.”
Bocelli Spawn
There are those who think that one Andrea Bocelli is one to many. And then there is the music industry. “While the Tuscan tenor has inspired a following so devoted that it borders on being monotheistic, his success has sired a new musical genre and a host of fresh faces.” They’re known as “pop tenors, PBS tenors or Baby Bocellis,” and they’re selling millions and millions of recordings. “Bocelli and his brood have awakened the sleeping giant of the recording industry: devoted adult fans.”
A Vinyl Thing – Still Spinning
“Consumers who swear by LPs and their warm, analog sound have to search harder to find them, but thanks to the efforts of a small community of music lovers, even smaller record stores, and a handful of specialized record labels, the LP is still breathing. In fact, the cottage industry is thriving. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, manufacturers sold 177,000 (non-deejay) turntables to dealers, totaling $28 million in sales in 2001 alone.”
Tower Records’ Struggle
Music store giant Tower Records is struggling to get out of bankruptcy. “As 2002’s countdown to Christmas began, the family-held chain of 113 stores in 21 states – known for its steep prices, deep selection, and store band appearances – is in the hands of a corporate restructurer. The company recently cut 90 jobs and sold 51 profitable stores in Japan. More closings are imminent.”
My First Year At San Francisco Opera
Pamela Rosenberg’s first season as director San Francisco Opera has been marked by two things. “One is the theatrical style she has imported from her previous job at the Stuttgart Opera, marked by elaborately intellectual and sometimes baffling directorial conceits, as well as an unprecedented degree of theatrical commitment. The other is her ability to bring in gifted young singers to share the company’s roster with the big-name stars.”